Tenali had to put up with the nuisance made by the boys during their play outside his house.
One day when the boys were particularly noisy, he went out to talk to them. He said he would give them 5 coins each week to play in the street. The boys were thrilled. They were being paid to do something they enjoyed. At the end of the first week they knocked at Raman’s house and asked to be paid.
He did so. The second week when they asked for payment he said he had run out of money, and sent them away with only 4 coins. The third week Raman said he had not yet received his monthly payment and gave them only 3 coins. The boys were very disappointed but there was not much they could do about it. In the fourth week Raman said he could not afford to pay them 5 coins as he had promised, but would give them 1 coin each week without fail. This was too much for the boys. “You expect us to play seven days a week for a mere 1 coin!” they yelled, “Go to hell.”
They stormed away and never played on the street again.
